Inspirational Digital Teaching and Learning

At Cornerstone CE Primary (@cornerstonecofe) we define Inspirational Teaching and Learning as:

During 2020 we developed this to define how it would link to a Digital version:

This article was previously published on Tim Clarke’s blog – click here to view original post. You can follow Tim on Twitter by clicking here.

A part of our regular practice is for all staff to collect examples of Inspirational Teaching and Learning from their perspective across the school, so that together we can collate and share these to exemplify the best we provide for our learners, and to learn together how we can continue to develop professionally.

During the first half of Spring term 2021, we collected the following examples linked to the Digital version.

Collaborative, encourages curiosity and self-discovery and transforms lives:

• Book uploaded to PowerPoint to share with class (YR) on a live call. All joined in with repeating phrases. 
• Whole class guided reading session delivered via Teams to YR enabling a deepened understanding of the weekly text. 
• Teaching within YR/1 bubble leads to both cohorts being exposed to lots of the same learning providing opportunities to extend YR and consolidate and close gaps in Y1. Also empowers Y1 to be the ‘experts’ and deepen understanding by having to explain to others beyond peer group. 
• Sharing children’s examples of work/videos on the One Drive for others to see what they have been doing at home has ensured the children are able to see each other’s achievements.  
• Whole class reader taking place daily on Teams – children loving! Further chance for book talk. 
• Using the Hampshire Information Book award as part of our guided reading and sharing what they like about the book. Using forms to collate opinions and ratings about the book.  
• Children inspired to ‘have a go’ with sharing their friendship thoughts via Flipgrid and supporting each other with their first attempts. 
• Children collaborating together from their homes to produce Sways as a final product of our Learning Quests.

Learners engage deeply as active partners:

• Comments from Y6 children saying how much they are loving the learning: wanting to achieve and submit all. 29/30 children handing in assignments daily. 
• During Y5 Class calls, children are focused and motivated, responding both orally, using raise had button and through the chat function with excellent ideas. 
• Lower attaining children are motivated and completing assignments independently, asking teacher for help using chat when they need it 
• Teams has allowed us to play games such as word / number bingo in YR all keen to participate. 
• Use of Phonics Play to support the learning of both parents and children around phonemes and digraphs.  
• Children are very engaged during class calls and those that weren’t very confident to start with are now getting better at joining in. Star of the Week award has motivated children to try even harder. 
• Using Kahoot quizzes as part of daily class calls.  
• Ad hoc conversations on class team about books children are reading – building relationships and discussions. 
• Children quickly understanding a digital concept and subsequently teaching the adult. 

Innovative teaching inspires learning always and all ways:

• Use of Forms to support receive instant feedback as part of assignments. 
• Use of audio feedback on assignments to give instant, verbal feedback. 
• Use of ‘green’ and ‘pink’ through assignments which children are responding to with purple polish. 
• Daily personal feedback via tapestry in YR has motivated children to do their home learning. Photos and videos have then been compiled in PowerPoint to share with children as part of Social Call Wednesday providing the opportunity to celebrate and share ideas. 
• Y6 interventions being carried out via Teams – children actively taking part in the further daily call with CM which is supporting further progress.  
• Opportunities to stay on the call when children need more help or talking through extension work. Feedback given through email and work is modified for individuals when they need it on communication with parents.  
• Y4 spelling interventions carried out via teams – children are fully engaged and respond as if in the class. 
• Y4 – used virtual LSA, this still enabled the students to fully engage in.

Developing their Digital skills powers up the learning, communication, teamwork, resilience, independence and positivity of learners:

• Different ways for Y4-Y6 to attach further learning. Learners given a choice to submit as an attachment in a chat, as other documents on assignments or in their own notebook. 
• So much resilience displayed when using Teams. Confidence in children using mute/unmute/hand raise on class call has grown massively. 
• Parents feeling confident in asking for help to enable them to best support their children. Digital Leader on hand to support both in and out of calls. We are all learners here! 
• Resilience from both staff and children when coming across problems. 
• Children can independently sit on their own calls now whereas before, parents were sat with them most of the time. Children raise their hand and unmute themselves. They will begin to complete some lessons via Microsoft Forms.  
• Opportunities for children from across the school to share their thoughts on Courage and Friendship through: Flipgrid, Teams and email. 
• Group from Y6 planning the launch of “40 Acts” for the whole school with 2 members of staff on Teams. The group also designed and shared a Form to enable weekly class votes.

We have also seen examples of the learners developing and applying new skills, and being collaborative in many creative ways. Below are some examples:

Y6 Crime and Punishment Learning Quest Sway

Y5 Space Learning Quest Sway

Remote Learning OneNote Assignments

Learner feedback on Remote Learning (Jan 21)

Cornerstone Digital Transformation Case Studies Spring 21

Surveying the staff we are also pleased to have a range of positive comments / feedback about the ongoing development of our Inspirational Digital Teaching and Learning:

• “Remote Learning has helped me to become so much more confident using OneNote, Teams and Forms for setting children’s assignments, marking it daily. I have learnt many tricks with inserting videos, links and in video calls.”

• “Proud of my Forms that I’ve used , setting up various teams meetings for outside people, using teams for daily live lessons and using all the little extras, using OneNote to collaborate on notes.”

• “I am proud that I have tried to implement any new learning almost straight away as I learn best by practising in a real-life context. Each week in our home learning or calls I have tried to use a new facet or skill I have acquired.”

• “I am proud that I have been able to apply my knowledge of Teams to deliver successful online lessons. I am proud that I have been able to incorporate Microsoft Forms into my planning and have also started to find ways to use Immersive Reader.”

• “I was proud of creating a story using sway and creating a reading comprehension using forms. I’ve also created a recorded PowerPoint to guide them through their learning and English tasks through the week.”

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